scholarly journals Effectiveness of Task-Based Learning In Improving Speaking Skills and Professional Vocabulary Knowledge while Teaching Maritime English

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-121
Author(s):  
V Hryhorash ◽  
◽  
H Kravets ◽  
M Tsynova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Maritime English ◽  
Speaking Skills

scholarly journals What vocabulary size tells us about pronunciation skills: Issues in assessing L2 learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-160
Author(s):  
Paolo Mairano ◽  
Fabian Santiago
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Listening Skills ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Speaking Skills

AbstractMeasures of second language (L2) learners’ vocabulary size have been shown to correlate with language proficiency in reading, writing and listening skills, and vocabulary tests are sometimes used for placement purposes. However, the relation between learners’ vocabulary knowledge and their speaking skills has been less thoroughly investigated, and even less so in terms of pronunciation. In this article, we compare vocabulary and pronunciation measures for 25 Italian instructed learners of L2 French. We measure their receptive (Dialang score) and productive (vocd-D, MTLD) vocabulary size, and calculate the following pronunciation indices: acoustic distance and overlap of realizations for selected L2 French vowel pairs, ratings of nasality for ratings of foreign-accentedness, fluency metrics. We find that vocabulary measures show low to medium correlations with fluency metrics and ratings of foreign-accentedness, but not with vowel metrics. We then turn our attention to the impact of research methods on the study of vocabulary and pronunciation. More specifically, we discuss the possibility that these results are due to pitfalls in vocabulary and pronunciation indices, such as the failure of Dialang to take into account the effect of L1-L2 cognates, and the lack of measures for evaluating consonants, intonation and perception skills.

Young learners’ L2 English after the onset of instruction: longitudinal development of L2 proficiency and the role of individual differences

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Vanessa De Wilde ◽  
Marc Brysbaert ◽  
June Eyckmans
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Internal Variables ◽  
L2 Proficiency ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Out Of School ◽  
Speaking Skills

Abstract In this study we investigated 107 young learners’ L2 English receptive vocabulary knowledge and speaking skills at two points in time, before and after the onset of instruction. We also investigated the role of several individual difference variables: out-of-school exposure to English, length of instruction, analytic reasoning ability, working memory, L1 vocabulary knowledge and prior L2 knowledge. Results show that L2 English proficiency in receptive vocabulary knowledge and speaking skills greatly improved over time and that the effects of schooling and contextual learning are largely additive. The main predictor of the children's proficiency at time 2 was their L2 prior knowledge, which they had acquired through contextual language learning before getting formal education. When considering the other variables that predicted L2 proficiency, the contribution of internal variables (L1 vocabulary size and working memory) was considerably smaller than that of external variables (out-of-school exposure and length of instruction).

Exploring the Potential Impact of Sentence-Level Comprehension and Sentence-Level Fluency on Deaf Students' Passage Comprehension

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 2281-2292
Author(s):  
Ying Zhao ◽  
Xinchun Wu ◽  
Hongjun Chen ◽  
Peng Sun ◽  
Ruibo Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Independent Predictor ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Deaf Students ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Sentence Level ◽  
Mediating Mechanisms ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This exploratory study aimed to investigate the potential impact of sentence-level comprehension and sentence-level fluency on passage comprehension of deaf students in elementary school. Method A total of 159 deaf students, 65 students ( M age = 13.46 years) in Grades 3 and 4 and 94 students ( M age = 14.95 years) in Grades 5 and 6, were assessed for nonverbal intelligence, vocabulary knowledge, sentence-level comprehension, sentence-level fluency, and passage comprehension. Group differences were examined using t tests, whereas the predictive and mediating mechanisms were examined using regression modeling. Results The regression analyses showed that the effect of sentence-level comprehension on passage comprehension was not significant, whereas sentence-level fluency was an independent predictor in Grades 3–4. Sentence-level comprehension and fluency contributed significant variance to passage comprehension in Grades 5–6. Sentence-level fluency fully mediated the influence of sentence-level comprehension on passage comprehension in Grades 3–4, playing a partial mediating role in Grades 5–6. Conclusions The relative contributions of sentence-level comprehension and fluency to deaf students' passage comprehension varied, and sentence-level fluency mediated the relationship between sentence-level comprehension and passage comprehension.

The Effect of Vocabulary Intervention on Text Comprehension: Who Benefits?

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawna Duff
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Text Comprehension ◽  
Classroom Instruction ◽  
Vocabulary Instruction ◽  
Clinical Intervention ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Vocabulary Intervention ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Difference

Purpose Vocabulary intervention can improve comprehension of texts containing taught words, but it is unclear if all middle school readers get this benefit. This study tests 2 hypotheses about variables that predict response to vocabulary treatment on text comprehension: gains in vocabulary knowledge due to treatment and pretreatment reading comprehension scores. Method Students in Grade 6 ( N = 23) completed a 5-session intervention based on robust vocabulary instruction (RVI). Knowledge of the semantics of taught words was measured pre- and posttreatment. Participants then read 2 matched texts, 1 containing taught words (treated) and 1 not (untreated). Treated texts and taught word lists were counterbalanced across participants. The difference between text comprehension scores in treated and untreated conditions was taken as a measure of the effect of RVI on text comprehension. Results RVI resulted in significant gains in knowledge of taught words ( d RM = 2.26) and text comprehension ( d RM = 0.31). The extent of gains in vocabulary knowledge after vocabulary treatment did not predict the effect of RVI on comprehension of texts. However, untreated reading comprehension scores moderated the effect of the vocabulary treatment on text comprehension: Lower reading comprehension was associated with greater gains in text comprehension. Readers with comprehension scores below the mean experienced large gains in comprehension, but those with average/above average reading comprehension scores did not. Conclusion Vocabulary instruction had a larger effect on text comprehension for readers in Grade 6 who had lower untreated reading comprehension scores. In contrast, the amount that children learned about taught vocabulary did not predict the effect of vocabulary instruction on text comprehension. This has implications for the identification of 6th-grade students who would benefit from classroom instruction or clinical intervention targeting vocabulary knowledge.

The Vocabulary and Overclaiming Test (VOC-T)

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Ziegler ◽  
Christoph Kemper ◽  
Beatrice Rammstedt
Keyword(s):  
Construct Validity ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Signal Detection Theory ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Online Study ◽  
Accuracy Index ◽  
Bias Index ◽  
Reliability Estimates ◽  
Verbal Knowledge

The present research aimed at constructing a questionnaire measuring overclaiming tendencies (VOC-T-bias) as an indicator of self-enhancement. An approach was used which also allows estimation of a score for vocabulary knowledge, the accuracy index (VOC-T-accuracy), using signal detection theory. For construction purposes, an online study was conducted with N = 1,176 participants. The resulting questionnaire, named Vocabulary and Overclaiming – Test (VOC-T) was investigated with regard to its psychometric properties in two further studies. Study 2 used data from a population representative sample (N = 527), and Study 3 was another online survey (N = 933). Results show that reliability estimates were satisfactory for the VOC-T-bias index and the VOC-T-accuracy index. Overclaiming did not correlate with knowledge, but it was sensitive to self-enhancement supporting the construct validity of the test scores. The VOC-T-accuracy index in turn covaried with general knowledge and even more so with verbal knowledge, which also supports construct validity. Moreover, the VOC-T-accuracy index had a meaningful correlation with age in both validation studies. All in all, the psychometric properties can be regarded as sufficient to recommend the VOC-T for research purposes.

Applying Circle Game to Enhance Students’ Speaking Skill

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
Putri Denaya Side Ayu ◽  
Heri Hidayatullah ◽  
Sri Ariani
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Speaking Skill ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Classroom Action Research ◽  
Speaking Skills

This Collaborative Classroom Action Research aimed at enhancing students’ speaking skill through the application of Circle Game. It was conducted in one cycle consisting of two meetings. The subject was the seventh of C class of SMPN 2 Alas Barat consisting of 22 students. The types of data were qualitative (acquiring observation during the learning process) and quantitative (speaking tests). The results qualitatively showed that the implementation of Circle Game enhanced the students’ speaking skills. Such improvement could be seen from their enthusiasm, their interesting feeling in various materials presented by the teacher, their active involvement. In the quantitative findings, the result also showed a higher value of the mean score of the post-test (77.34) rather than the pre-test (75.75). In conclusion, the use of Circle Game can improve students’ speaking skill.

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